Lamp shade having a thermoplastic molding securing it to supporting arms



Feb. 12, 1952 J. J. SCHERER' 2,585,176

LAMP SHADE HAVING A THERMOPLASTIC MOLDING SECURING IT TO SUPPORTING ARMSFiled Aug. 15, 1947 INVENTOR. JOSEPH \Z'SCHF/PEE ATTORNEYS Patented Feb.12, 1952 SHADE. HAVING Av THERMOPLASTIC MOLDING SECURING IT TOSUPPORTING ARMS.

Joseph J. Scherer, Cleveland, Ohio Application August 13, 1947, SerialNo. 768.391

6 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to the fabrication of articlesof paper, laminated, plastics, or similar thin sheet materials, andframes of metal or the like, and is more particularly com cerned with alamp shade of novel design and construction and improved economy.

It is a principal object, of my invention to. provide means whereby lampshades and similar articles may be manufactured more easily and quicklyand at less expense than heretofore.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a lamp shade of novel,pleasing appearance and of improved strength and durability.

It is still a further object of my invention to utilize resinousmaterials and particularly thermoplastic synthetic resins in theconstruction of lamp shades and thereby enable a substantial saving ofmetal and a corresponding lightening of the article.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent asthe detailed description proceeds.

Referring to the drawings accompanying and forming a part of thisspecification,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a lamp shade embodying this invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the shade of Fig.1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the skirt and shad of Fig. 1, showinghow it is formed in its upper edge portion to facilitate assembly of theshade with the frame and supporting means for the shade; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of a lamp shade frameembodying this invention in another suitable form.

The illustrated lamp shade in general comprises three principal parts,namely a metal frame ID, a parchment skirt II and means [2 securing theskirt to the frame. The frame is composed of a thin flat ring core Mwhich may if desired be formed with threads therein for engagement witha threaded fitting (not shown) carried by a lamp with which the shade isto be used. Three arms I5 extend outwardly from the ring at equalintervals around the circumference thereof, and have outer doubled endswhich are encased in blockshaped feet lb of molded thermoplasticmaterial.

The skirt 1 I is hollow and frustro-conical, having an upper edgeprovided with three notches i la at equally spaced intervals around itsperiphery and a lower unbroken edge portion. A ring I8 of thermoplasticresinous material and of generally L-shaped cross section i attached tothe lower edge of the skirt, extending entirely around 2.. the edgethereof and covering the outsideurface of the skirt adjoining said edge.

Means [2 for joining the skirt and frame comprises a ring 20 ofthermoplastic material of a shape similar to ring [-8. This ring, likering 18 encompassing the lower edge of Skirt H, is. at.- tached to theskirt by a. resinous. cement. having the property of adhering to, both.the. material of the shade and that, of the. ring, or may be fastenedthereto in any other convenient. manner as by direct heat sealing.Joining of ring 20 to, feet.

of the frame is similarly accomplished, but. in a c da e w t ypreference, the, thermoplastic. materials are subjected to, heat toeffect oftening along their interfaces. and are then cooled to producesubstantially integral connection between the parts.

The thermoplastic resin employed may be se:

lected from any number of commercial. thermm" p st at ials. such as clul se, acetate. cellulose acetate butyrate or polystyrene. In any case,however, the upper ring and the feet should be of the same, or at leastcompatible thermoplastic substances in order that a strong and durablebond can be produced after the manner described. The skirt itself may becoated or impregnated with thermoplastic material to facilitate bondingof the rings thereto.

Although I have particularly described but one form of this invention, Icontemplate other forms not departing inventively therefrom, as will beapparent from the appended claims. In particular, I have in mind, forexample, employing three elements 22 of relatively small size for ring20, in which case the structure would be substantially lighter and incertain shade sizes would be fully as pleasing in appearance and aspractical and durable as the ring structure described. In this case thethree elements might extend the full vertical length of the skirt andjoin the lower ring, if increased strength in the shade is re-- quired.

From the foregoing description it will be appreciated that the structureof this invention not only is much less complex than that or theordinary lamp shade, but also that the manner of joining the parts isnovel and offers considerable advantage in time and material savings. Itrequires only that heat he applied to two or several relatively smallparts having small surfaces in order to soften the surfaces, and then toremove the heat to effect a very strong integral connection between theparts. This is in contrast with the metal wire or rod shaping andbinding operations involved in the manufacture of the conventional lampshades.

Having thus described the invention so that others skilled in the artmay be able to understand and practice the same, I state that What Idesire to secure by Letters Patent is defined in what is claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A lampshade comprising a frame including a core and arms extendingoutwardly therefrom, a skirt depending from the outer ends of said arms,and means for securing the skirt to the frame comprising thermoplasticsynthetic resin members attached to said skirt and molded around andencasing the outer ends of said arms.

2. A lampshade comprising a frame including a core and arms extendingoutwardly therefrom, a hollow frusto-conical skirt having a plurality ofnotches in one edge portion, and means for securing the skirt to theframecomprising a thermoplastic synthetic resin member attached to saidskirt and to the outer ends of said arms, said member comprising a ringencircling the periphery of said edge portion on the outside of theskirt and having a plurality of enlarged parts extending through saidnotches and molded around and encasing said outer ends of the arms.

3. A lampshade comprising a frame including a core and arms extendingoutwardly therefrom and carrying thermoplastic resin feet at their outerends, a hollow frustro-conical skirt having a notched edge, and meansfor securing the skirt to the frame comprising thermoplastic syntheticresin members cooperating to define a segmented ring encircling andattached to the notched edge of the skirt and secured to said feet.

4. A lampshade comprising a frame including a core and arms extendingoutwardly therefrom and carryingfeet of thermoplastic resin at theirouter ends, a hollow frustro-conical skirt having a notched edge and athermoplastic resin ring attached to and extending around its otheredge, and means for securing the skirt to the frame comprising athermoplastic synthetic resin member attached to said skirt andintegrally attached to said feet, said member comprising a ringextending around and engaging the notched edge of the skirt.

5. A lampshade comprising a frame including .acore and arms extendingoutwardly from and attached to the core and carrying feet of resinousplastic at their outer ends, a skirt having a resinous plastic coating,and means for securing the skirt to the frame comprising a resinousplastic member attached to the skirt and to said feet, said memberextending around an edge portion of the skirt.

6. A frame for a lampshade including a core, arms extending outwardlyfrom the core and attached thereto, and thermoplastic resin membersmolded around and encasing the outer end of said arms.

JOSEPH J. SCHERER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,025,568 Brown Dec. 24, 19352,026,939 Greenan Jan. 7, 1936 2,117,240 Cohon May 10, 1938 2,118,893Meerbeck May 31, 1938 2,206,508 Labuda July 2, 1940 2,269,128 Ross Jan.6, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 482,042 Great Britain Mar.22, 1938

